Mellie Esperson Building vs City National Bank Building

Comparing the Mellie Esperson Building and the City National Bank Building is interesting because they both rise in Houston, TX, yet they were conceived by two different design teams, John Eberson and Alfred C. Finn, and were completed at different points in time. They were finished more than 6 years apart.

This contrast within the same city allows us to see how different creative minds interpreted the evolving needs of Houston across time.

Let's take a closer look!

The City National Bank Building is clearly the larger tower of the two, both in terms of height and number of floors. It rises to 285ft (87m) with 23 floors above ground, while the Mellie Esperson Building reaches 272ft (83m) with 19 floors above ground.

Of course, each project may have faced different briefs or regulatory constraints, which we don't really know about and could also explain the outcome.

Both the Mellie Esperson Building and the City National Bank Building were designed in line with the aesthetic conventions of the Art Deco style.

Both buildings were completed when the Art Deco style was already past its peak. This makes them feel like late echoes of the movement, more reflective of continuity or nostalgia than of cutting-edge design at the time.

Both the Mellie Esperson Building and the City National Bank Building were designed to serve as commercial towers, and that has remained their main use since their completion, serving similar roles in the urban fabric.

The City National Bank Building also provides 777 parking spaces.

Both the Mellie Esperson Building and the City National Bank Building rely on a Frame structural system.

A frame structure uses a grid of columns and beams to carry the building's loads. This frees the walls from structural duties, allowing for flexible floor plans and larger windows.

They also employ the same type of facade, a Masonry facade.

A masonry facade gives the building a heavier, more traditional appearance. It often conceals a frame structure behind it, creating the look of solid walls without carrying the main loads.